Bob Leece, Engineer Who Made Sydney Olympics Run

(ATR) Bob Leece is remembered for his "massive contribution to the Sydney Games".

Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates offered that tribute to Leece from Lausanne where he is attending IOC meetings.

Leece died of a heart attack this week in Sydney.

After receiving and engineering degree in 1969, Leece worked on major development projects. From 1996 to 2000, Leece was the Deputy Director General of the Olympic Co-ordination Authority. He was responsible for the development of all facilities with a budget of $Au 7.2 billion.

"The Games were procured and delivered to the highest standard, ahead of time and under budget, an achievement at the time without precedence in Australia," says a release from the AOC.

Leece held other titles connected with the 2000 Olympics. He was chief executive of the Olympic Roads and Transport Authority, responsible for all transport operations during the Games’ period, with 15,000 employees.

He was a member of the Games Co-ordination Group which managed all operations of the Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. He was a director of the Sydney Olympic Broadcast Organization which managed all television broadcast activities.

"Bob packed so much into those years around the Sydney Olympics, it can only be described as a herculean effort and all those who came in contact with him, all those who worked for him, admired him greatly," said Coates.

"When President Samaranch described the Sydney Games as the best ever I think, among others, he had Bob Leece in mind" Coates said, who notes that Leece was awarded the Silver Olympic Order by the IOC.

"A great man has been lost," said Coates.

Written by Ed Hula

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